Terrain is everything - Sanctum Imperialis - it's not easy being verdi-green

If you follow the 40kaddict Facebook group you'll have seen some of these pics already. The plan was always to do full-on verdigris on the uprights, buttresses and external skirting boards, despite adding some highlights to the bronze. First was a wash of Army painter Hawk Turquoise.

Then another wash of my turquoise craft acrylic, followed by another drybrush of turquoise/white mix and I think it matches quite well my Matt Black Hero of the Imperium statue.

But putting it next to the big piece I was wracked with doubt about losing the bronze. It's such a consistent effect and will not stand out too much on the battlefield - tonal backdrop that does not detract from the miniatures.

But I realised I could Photoshop it to see the end-result and with the small piece rotated I could copy+paste elements across.

I also got to conceptualise the red glass finials, although didn't add the patina in the door relief. Asking in the group got a mixed response but I think the majority said go for it.

 The patina is my thing and as much as the terrain shouldn't take away from the models this is a piece in its own right.

If you look around there are always architectural elements that do not fit a single aesthetic. Not everything is designed to be harmonious and share the same palette of colours so I'm going ahead with it... And while I was in Manchester I came across this example to illustrate my point.

Not sure whether it was the inspiration [long in gestation] because they're just green painted drainpipes, not weathered copper, but you get the point.

So, more turquoise next.

Terrain is everything - Sanctum Imperialis - moar from the inner sanctum

The big piece needed its grunge shading, it's come over all Tudor dwelling like.

Welcome to the grotty grotto.

I just wish I could leave things at this stage...

...but you know I can't and I'll be all over this with more paint...

2nd highlights, not sure if I've lost or gained with this? Definitely lost some of that oil paint effect :( but it was a bit OTT

I think I've got a mixture of both + and -. I just sponged on an even lighter shade.

Still some details to pick out and some shade applied in the recesses.

All the internal bronze 'skirting boards' need a sponging of Balthasar Gold. Ultimately the net gain or loss doesn't really matter. I'll do my process and what the end result is will suffice so it's best not worrying about it really.

Strong Tone wash in all the creases on the medium piece, as well as 2nd highlights.

At least there's consistency across the pieces. Don't know whether those two panel things on the right hand side are electrical switch boxes with wires/cabling going inside or just structural features. If they're cables I'll do my usual of a red and a yellow/black stripe.

The little control panels should be fun to paint.

Corner piece, first highlight on the left, second highlight on the right plus some verdigris on the bronze skirting boards. They were indoors at some point so they would never be as weathered as the outside brassy bronze. Still need to finish off the base as well but otherwise I'm almost finished with this piece.

Verdigris pictures next...

Terrain is everything - Sanctum Imperialis - the inner sanctum

I was a little disappointed with how my highlights had gone in my previous post so I decided to bring back the redness with a glaze of Bloodletter, followed by some purple shadow washes and I'm much happier.

Here's a before and after, although colour accuracy is far from perfect you can see it's definitely changed and more importantly for the better!

But despite the desire to make these buildings fit the Red Planet BASE! of Ferron Proxima so it wouldn't be too distracting in battle I had decided to flip that vision for the interiors.

We paint the insides of our homes and offices independently of the exterior anyway and bone [Magnolia] seemed like the obvious choice. This way from the outside it blends in with the board but from a different angle viewing the inside you get a whole different effect.

I scruffily stippled on the paitn as I will be adding a lot of shading to make the dilapidated interior I have visualised in my head.

Aeverything has been shaded with my Burnt Umber art acrylic. It's a funny paint with the consistency of tooth paste that looks like a desaturated brown, but when thinned and dries has this aged speia tone that is very reminiscent of Blanchitsu.

I have never done this before, but I theorised it would look like this and once again I'm in love with the brush marks.

I haven't quite visualised the next step, I know it needs more shading in the recess but a stippling of the lighter colour will cover up some of the underpainting already visible and possibly the brushstokes I need to retain.

That said the bone colour isn't right so I really need to find the subtle path to what I'm after, even if I don't quite know what that is yet.

Luckily I have the small piece to test my approach. I've added the Strong Wash in the creases so I might focus on this to get a sense of what I need to do on the bigger pieces.

I also need to do all the Burnt Umber on the biggest ruin so I should be achieving both quality and quantity in my output for the next update...

Terrain is everything - Sanctum Imperialis

With every intention to finish of my Dark Shroud I was then tempted to put some effort into my Sanctum Imperialis while my magnetising efforts cured. I'd finished building it in September 2018 and that was a distraction from my Hierophant. I'd also dropped this part like a hot potato when I came to paint the Warplock Bornze on all the buttresses and doors. But with time to fill I finished all the bronze off and in some areas mixed a replacement with some craft acrylics - bronze+metallic black+brown.

I then shadow washed it with a mix of Burnt Umber+Black art acrylics. You can also see I stippled on som vermilion in places - a mistake, as a drybrush would have acheived better results. I also washed the bronze in places and it looks so awesome and yet I'll cover that all up with extra highlights. I don't know why I can't leave well enough alone?

The side walls will be drybrushed with vermilion next.

The taller structure and at this stage this is about as grimdark as I've possibly ever got. I need to remember this for a future project as I know I can't stop here and need to do my usual highlights. But this is just so much more realistic than I normally do and my Honored Imperium statue is what I'm heading for. This means I'll be verdigri'ing all the bronze, the doors will be less so and all the red needs highlighting.

I'll be possibly be picking out the scrolls as parchment and the lenses in the lanterns.

The doors will be the same brassy bronze I usually do, while all the vertical support will be well green! This is because the doors are polished while the structure is just weathered.

And this little corner piece. I don'tknow whether to create some broken stained glass panels for the windows, it might be nice as I've nothing much else to attempt them on.

And here we are with the highlights and they're much yellower than anticipated. I might glaze this with Bloodletter to see if it brings back the redness.

I might have goe a little overboard on it, I'm pining for the lost grimdark as I've gone down my over-staurated reds & yellows.

How does it compare? I'm not even sure if the Verdigris is the right thing to do now.

I desperately want to do something much greener and I love how the statue turned out but as much as I miss the red Sanctum of 3 highlights ago I also love this grungey version

The dark bronze is just rich and most of is is going to be covered up, which will at least help where I've caught the metal with my drybrushing.

The other question is do I keep those gothic finials as solid bronze, or paint each facet as encased red glass? I'm thinking glass because it'll look cool.

Perhaps the solution is I need more buildings so I can explore these variations...

1500pt battle report - nids vs Astra Imperial Milatarum Guard

What happened here was quite amusing, Ben asked me for a game, proper 7th at 1500pts and I combined a detachment with nid allies so I could get twin flyrants, two Tervigons, one an allied HQ, the other a troop. A Venomthrope, Zoanthrope and brood of 3 Hive Guard. A Dakkafex, Biovore and 30 gaunts plus another 10 for the Allied contingent. The big point being I had ZERO fortifications, no Aegis, Bastion, Weapons Batteries or Skyshield

Psychic Powers Winged Tyrant HQ Winged Tyrant Tervigon CC TR Tervigon Plain Tr The Horror The Horror Onslaught Psychic Scream Psychic Scream Paroxysm Dominion Dominion Dominion Dominion Zoanthrope Dominion Onslaught Warp Blast

The low down:

• Big Guns Never Tire [though apparently they do give up Victory Points when they die, as they score anyway now, good one 7th!] 4 objectives
• Vanguard Strike
• I lost deployment and failed to seize
• Warlord Trait - A 7th ed strategic trait that made Ben's reserves -1. he had no reserves!
• Night fighting turn 1.

Of course the problem I immediately had is Ben was not using the Orks I thought he would take, given they have a fresh Codex, no he went for a slightly more mature Astra Imperial Milatarum Guard. And I could see straight from the get go I was stuffed. An Aegis and a bastion with VSG [yeah, I can't touch them], two Leman Russ [can't touch them], two Wyverns [they'll punish my blobs], Ratling Snipers [bye, bye Tervigons] a Quad Gun and an Icarus [bye, by Flyrants]

Cover was sparse but I deployed my termagants in such a way to be Shrouded by the Venomthrope and give cover to anything else but with the Hellhound Chimera variant with the Inferno Cannon, cover [or lack thereof] is petty much moot anyway

Interesting to note that objectives are now positioned before Deployment setup is rolled, so you put the objectives on the board and then you could deploy in a completely different way than you anticipated. That means you have to be quite generic in where you put them. I placed mine in the Chapel ruin and the crater field in the middle. Ben put his in the blasted forest and just in front of his Aegis at the top.

First up Ben rolls to see what the Crashed Aquila Lander has in store, oh some ancient Achaeotech that is a 1VP objective within 3" of the lander, thank you, he'll have that behind the Aegis on the left of the Bastion. Everything else moves forward and the Torrent on that Chimera flames a couple of Gaunts, now that's unpleasant.

A lot of shooting focuses on my Hive Guard and 3 wounds get stripped off quite quick, despite the Venomthrope. Ratlings got an 'ignore cover' order but there was also re-rolls to hit and wound from some banner/wargear.

Further fire took the remaining three wounds off the Hive Guard for First Blood, but more importantly removing my 'anti-tank'. We also roll to see what my Mysterious objective is - Sabotaged! We then spend the game regularly forgetting to see if it blows up.

The Great Maw spawns out on 10 Termagants, which head for the crater field for some cover. unfortunately their run move is pathetic and they're pretty much dead men walking with that Hellhound nearby, although cover would again have availed them nought. My Flyrant headed to take some shots at the side armour of the Hellhound, but it's AV12 and I had seious doubts about getting three 6's to glance it. Instead I went for the softer option of the Guard blob and trust the Great Maw might eventually get it's talons on the Hellhound. I managed to kill only about 5or 6 with my Brainleech which was unrewarding.

The other Flyrant swooped into cover, I was able to take out a Heavy Weapons team but cover denied most of my shooting. The CC Tervigon spawned out on 11 so no more spawning at all - great! Everything else decamped from the ruins so as not to be blown up by the Sabotaged objective.

Warlord Flyrant takes a couple of wounds

Then a couple more, spawned gaunts also get shot to pieces with just two left. The Second Flyrant in the woods at the top is wounded and falls out of the sky and takes a 2nd wound.

In my turn two I bolster the two spawned gaunts with the eight remaining from my allied brood. The Great Maw heads for the Hellhound, needing an 8" charge, it manages 5" so fails it's assault.

My second flyrant Vector Strikes the lead Wyvern. I get a pen and the tank cannot shoot or move next turn. I shoot the back of the second Wyvern, I glance and pen but only prevent it shooting next turn.

The Dakkafex follows up too but I'm not sure what it did this turn as nothing else dies. He had Onslaught so he was run and shoot, maybe saving throws were very effective? More importantly though with that Grav Wave generator in front of the units and cover I can't charge the distance to get into assault.

The Nephropid captures an objective, only to discover, unsurprisingly, that it is also Sabotaged!

Anti-air trains it's sights on the Flyrant...

...and shoots it to pieces.

With space to manoeuvre the Hellhound reverses from the oncoming Great Maw. Concentrated fire puts five wounds on it.

But it takes pretty much all the remaining fire for the kill shot. I immediately 'go to ground' with the nearby gaunts. You don't get a cover save from the Brood Progenitor backlash but it will help next turn because they will be immune to Instinctive Behaviour. Ben thinks this is a dubious tactic, that he could understand them being able to go to ground should he be firing directly at them but they're being hit in a different way. The description is specific that they're being hit as if by a shooting attack from the Tervigon. I think the argument should be that perhaps they should have no right to go to ground because they can derive no benefit, but counter to that you always take your best save anyway so even if they were entitled to a cover save if they had a 4+ save and went to ground in 5+ cover they'd still get 4+. I'm confident I can do it but if anyone want's to chip in their thoughts feel free.

War gets into range of the Wyverns, I actually whoop when I find out they're a squadron so his shooting effects them both. I'd been floundering at the thought one would go and the other would carry on. even so I only manage a few hits. I managed to get a few hits with glances and pens. Ultimately his cover save would stop most of them except one pen gets through. I roll to see damage and on the front Wyvern and get a 6, plus one for open topped and the Wyvern blows.

The explosion takes out a couple of Guardsmen and hits his Squadron buddy, I roll and get a glance, wrecking the second Wyvern thanks to it's last Hull Point. Finally some luck! With War on the rampage all the Defenders train their guns on the beast and let rip.

Stripping all four wounds off the behemoth.

Things are looking dire but I still have a chance to steal this with 3 objectives I can control and the other one I can contest. I head the Tervigon forwards to take fire and shield the Termagants who can contest the Grav Wave objective.

My plan works too well and the Nephropid implodes.

About 5 gaunts die in the synaptic backlash. The other gaunts head to contest the other objective. I'd moved my Zoanthrope across and cast Dominion which kept everything in Synapse and also re-invigorated the gaunts that had gone to ground.

Unfortunately a dozen Termagants is no match for the massed las fire and Inferno Cannon set against it.

I try to run and contest but can't get more than an inch or two. It's turn four and I think I'm all done.

Technically, having called it, this is a Crushing Defeat. I'm actually unhappy about this shift in 7th to levels of victory. Calling it, like I did, seems an amicable acceptance but then to be branded not just defeated but 'crushed', well it's not really in the spirit of the game to me. Anyway, Ben had First Blood, Slay the Warlord, had killed 2 Heavy Support, Archaeotech objective and 1 objective for 8VPs. If we'd gone into 5 turns he would easily roll over the objective in the craters for another three and most likely got Linebreaker too, with the Hellhound, for 12 VPs all in.

Meanwhile I had either 1 or 2 VPs from the Wyverns, I think it's just 1 because they're a squadron and most likely would have had the blasted woods objective and the ruined chapel. That would have got me 7 but would have been dependant on the remaining Termagants not being gunned down by the Aegis Defenders and the Zoanthrope continuing to hold the Chapel and neither being blown up by the sabotaged objectives. This would have net me 7VPs but you can see that despite the monumental losses [and awful dice rolling] I wasn't too far off the mark from Ben. Had a couple of units just survived a bit longer [Catalyst anyone?], or been more effective in their attacks I might not have suffered as many losses and would have been able to snatch it.

The funny thing was that we played on the night Brazil got hammered by Germany so I can't feel too bad, at least it wasn't 7:1 ha, ha!